The Remarkable SaaS Podcast

A story about users competitors can't stealThis episode is for SaaS founders wondering why their users like the product but don't love it.Second movers usually copy the leader's playbook.Pete Hunt, CEO of Dagster Labs, took a different path. He joined as Head of Engineering in 2022, became CEO ten months later, and inherited a company that was #3 or #4 in a crowded category. Today they're #2 overall—and #1 for greenfield deployments.The difference? Pete built a product with values so clear that choosing it feels like choosing sides.And this inspired me to invite Pete to my podcast. We explore what happens when users choose you for reasons competitors can't copy. Pete shares why being #2 means you have to be 10x more aggressive, why relabeling a version number created an inflection point without changing code, and what broke when his sales forecasts started slipping.You'll discover why the real challenge wasn't preserving his culture—it was changing it.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – Acknowledge you cannot please everyone – Master the art of curiosityPete's journey proves that remarkable companies don't just build tools—they build tribes.Here's one of Pete's quotes that captures his contrarian belief about technical buyers:"These technical folks connect with the values of the product in an emotional way. It's a very powerful thing. People would choose JavaScript frameworks based on their values—something that becomes their identity. People say brand marketing doesn't work on developers. I just think it's completely wrong.By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why healthy pipeline numbers lieWhy crossing the chasm meant changing culture, not preserving itWhat a version number change did that new features couldn'tWhy sales teams hold onto deals they should killFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Pete Hunt, CEO of Dagster LabsWebsite: dagster.io

A story about building market leadership by saying no to obvious growth—on purpose.This episode is for SaaS founders chasing international expansion—and questioning if dominating locally first makes more sense.Most SaaS companies chase international markets early. Get traction locally, then expand globally fast.Jim Whatmore, CEO of Joblogic, walked away from that playbook. He spent three years attending HVAC shows in the US, picked up customers, then stopped. He saved his marketing budget for UK and Ireland only. He turned down international revenue to dominate his home market first.From 11 people and £500K revenue in 2013 to 500 people today. Ten-year grind to £9M, then quadrupled in two years through four strategic acquisitions. Vista Equity Partners betting £100M+ on the execution.And this inspired me to invite Jim to my podcast. We explore how geographic restraint and strategic patience create market dominance. Jim shares his thinking about why he walked away from US customers, how staying trade-agnostic opened entire markets, and why he spent four years completely rebuilding his cloud platform while competitors kept betting on their old stack. And you'll discover why he bought competitors instead of trying to outbuild them.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Acknowledge you cannot please everyone – UK and Ireland only, walking away from US revenue Focus on the essence – Field engineer workflows are similar regardless of trade Master creating momentum – Quadrupled revenue in two years after a decade of patient buildingJim's story is proof that dominating your home market beats chasing global reach too early.Here's one of Jim's quotes that captures why geographic focus matters:"Our tagline for job logic is growing job logic, for us, it's personal, and it's personal because of the tenure of a lot of my team have been with us for a long time, and a lot of our customers have been with us for a long time. And there's a lot of value in that, that we're present and that we're on the ground, and that we know our customers, and that's more difficult to achieve in a different geo without a bulletproof strategy."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why walking away from international revenue accelerates home market dominanceWhen staying trade-agnostic beats vertical specialization in field serviceWhy acquiring competitors with legacy tech accelerates customer base growthWhat patience actually looks like when rebuilding platforms under competitive pressureGuest InfoFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Jim Whatmore, CEO at Joblogic Website: joblogic.com

A story about choosing what others avoid—and creating competitive advantage no one can copy.This episode is for sales-led SaaS founders wondering why their AI product investments are not creating the competitive edge they expected.Most SaaS companies race to add AI features and wonder why nothing changes.Tal Peretz, CEO of Onfire, took the opposite path. Before writing a single line of code, he interviewed 275 revenue leaders. Then he spent months building a proprietary data layer from the public web—Reddit, Stack Overflow, Discord—tracking 50 million engineers. Only after that foundation was solid did he add AI on top.The result: customers generating 4x more pipeline with the same headcount, $50 million in closed deals since beta launch, and a $20 million funding round.And this inspired me to invite Tal to my podcast. We explore how mastering curiosity—reading signals competitors ignore—creates competitive moats that compound over time. Tal shares how 275 customer interviews revealed one critical pattern everyone else missed, and why choosing the hardest buyers simplified everything else. You'll discover why he spent months building invisible infrastructure before writing features, and how that decision alone separated Onfire from hundreds of AI tools fighting for attention.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Master the art of curiosityAim to be different, not just betterSell the idea, not the productTal's journey proves that remarkable companies don't chase the obvious path—they build the hard thing first, creating advantages no competitor can copy.Here's one of Tal's quotes that captures his contrarian thesis:"AI basically makes sales much harder, not easier, because the noise-to-ratio right now goes up. When we started the company, we said the main advantage is to find the needle in the haystack in your context. Building what we call our Knowledge Graph—this is probably the main IP of the company."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why building infrastructure before features creates advantages competitors cannot replicateWhat customer discovery reveals when you interview hundreds before building anythingWhy focusing on the hardest segment often creates easier sales than targeting everyoneWhy adding intelligence to strong foundations beats bolting features onto weak dataFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Tal Peretz, Co-founder and CEO at Onfire Website: onfire.ai

A story about solving two problems everyone else picks between.This episode is for SaaS founders with deep domain expertise—and wondering why the market isn't responding the way they expected.Most SaaS companies struggle because they know what the solution should be.Panos Siozos, CEO of Learnworlds, came from a research background in educational technology—three generations of teachers, deep pedagogical expertise. He could have built the pedagogically perfect platform.Instead, he put the scientists in the backseat and listened to what customers actually needed. That decision took him from building in isolation to 12,500 customers across 150 countries.This inspired me to invite Panos to my podcast. We explore why expertise becomes dangerous when it drowns out customer truth. Panos shares what happens when your expertise blinds you to what customers already know. You'll discover why Learnworlds wins where every competitor chooses: learning depth or selling power.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:They offer something valuable AND desirable They master the art of curiosity They create NEW value possibilitiesPanos's story is proof that customer problems beat perfect solutions.Here's one of Panos's quotes that captures his customer-first philosophy:"We put the scientists in the backseat. We said, Okay, now we may be theoretical experts in pedagogy and educational technology, but these guys, they have a problem. We need to solve their real problem, not the things that we have in our mind."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why theoretical expertise becomes dangerous when it silences customer problemsWhat happens when you marry deep capability with practical customer needsWhen customers show you markets you never planned to serveWhy solving today's customer problem beats building tomorrow's perfect productGuest InfoGuest: Panos Siozos, CEO & Co-founder Learnworlds Website: www.learnworlds.com

A story about how "everyone agrees" is the most dangerous lie in SaaS.This episode is for SaaS founders frustrated watching their solution solve real problems—but wondering why no one actually buys it.Most healthcare startups don't fail because their tech doesn't work. They fail because they can't find anyone willing to pay for it.Mariano Garcia-Valiño, Founder and CEO of Axenya, spent 18 months proving his preventive care model worked clinically—reducing diabetes costs by 20% and mortality risk by 18%. Then he spent another year without selling a single dollar because insurers, hospitals, and patients all had reasons not to care enough to pay.He found the answer by buying a healthcare broker and changing who he sold to: employers in Brazil who actually bear the cost and have the timeframe to benefit from prevention.This inspired me to invite Mariano to my podcast. We explore why solving the right problem for the wrong buyer kills traction—and how changing your business model changes who cares. Mariano shares how he rejected the obvious paths (selling to insurers, doctors, or patients) and instead built a broker model that aligns incentives with outcomes. You'll discover why clinical proof means nothing without economic urgency.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Acknowledge you cannot please everyoneMaster the art of curiosityAim to be different, not just betterMariano's story is proof that the best solution dies without the right buyer—and why changing your business model, not your product could be the easy way out.Here's one of Mariano's quotes that captures the challenge he faced:"It's one thing to actually see the problem and find a technical solution for the problem. It's a different thing to deploy it in the right place within a very complex value chain that has a lot of incentives that are not well aligned."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why solving a highly valuable and critical problem alone won't create a market without economic incentive alignmentWhat happens when you build for huge global humanity problems instead of expensive local onesWhy focusing on who pays reveals better opportunities than focusing on who usesHow buying your distribution channel creates stickiness competitors can't copyFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Mariano Garcia-Valiño, Founder and CEO at Axenya Website: axenya.com

A story about choosing autonomy over speed—and building something that lasts.This episode is for SaaS founders tired of chasing growth rounds—and wondering if slow, profitable building could win.Most software companies raise capital to scale fast. Rex Kurzius, Founder of Asset Panda, rejected that path entirely. His father ran a bakery. His brother built MailChimp. Rex grew up watching immigrant work ethic turn into entrepreneurial success—and applied the same principle to software.He spent 13 years building Asset Panda from startup to a world-class asset tracking platform. No investors. No board pressure. No artificial timelines. Just solving one problem—asset tracking—and letting customer revenue fund each next step.And this inspired me to invite Rex to my podcast. We explore why staying curious matters more than being right. Rex shares his thinking on positioning pivots (consumer to business, product to platform), building without investor timelines, and the inverse relationship between AI and headcount growth. You'll discover why he calls himself the turtle in the race—and what slow, steady building creates.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: Master the art of curiosity Focus on the essence Turn customers into fansRex's story is proof that building slow beats chasing speed—when you solve real problems.Here's one of Rex's quotes that captures his growth philosophy:"It's not about being perfect, and it's not about being right. It's about being curious and having the ability to deal with failure, learn from that failure, and adapt to succeed."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why staying curious beats being right when building softwareWhat happens when you fund growth with customer revenue, not investor capitalWhy solving client problems matters more than hitting investor timelinesHow building slow creates more enduring value than chasing speedFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Rex Kurzius, Founder and CEO of Asset PandaWebsite: assetpanda.com

A story about speed as strategy—and why saying no to billion-dollar deals built a stronger company.This episode is for SaaS founders who feel stuck between landing big logos and building what actually scales.Most SaaS companies don't fail because they lack ambition. They fail because they chase the wrong customers.Mark Walker, CEO of Nue, took a different path. With decades in enterprise software—ERP, CRM, NetSuite—he joined Nue in March 2022 when it was pre-revenue and a "science experiment." He made one decision that changed everything: focus on speed over complexity. When Nvidia came calling, he said no. When asked to build for everyone, he picked his peers instead.And this inspired me to invite Mark to my podcast. We explore why treating speed as your core product creates defensible value. Mark shares his philosophy on saying no to wrong-fit customers, building modular systems that compress implementation from years to weeks, and why honesty beats hype when competing against legacy vendors. You'll discover why OpenAI went live in 8 weeks and Anthropic in 12—and what that speed signals to the market.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:They acknowledge they cannot please everyoneThey aim to be different, not just betterMark's story is proof that when you optimize every decision for customer speed, saying no to complexity becomes your competitive advantage.Here's one of Mark's quotes that captures his approach to market focus:"If you want to be great at something, you have to be bad at something else. There are no NFL linemen who are also World Champion marathoners. They're both elite athletes, but they're not the same athlete."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why the fastest implementations come from saying no to features, not adding themWhat happens when you tell a billion-dollar prospect they're not the right fitWhen modularity beats monolithic systems in multi-model revenue businessesWhy traditional enterprises are preemptively switching systems before they know what's comingFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Mark Walker, CEO at NueWebsite: nue.io

When everyone else optimized for instant answers, Sid Masson built for depth and accuracy—and enterprise customers paid more for the difference.This episode is for SaaS founders who feel trapped competing on speed—and suspect their customers actually want something else.Most SaaS companies don't fail because they're too slow. They fail because they optimize for speed over trust.Sid Masson, CEO and Co-founder of Wokelo, took a different path. He started his career as a management consultant doing private equity due diligence with dozens of tabs open, knowing how costly missed insights could be. When he began experimenting with early GPT models while pursuing his second master's in AI, he saw the potential to automate deep analysis—but refused to compromise on rigor.While others chased instant gratification, Wokelo focused on producing more in-depth, decision-grade insights. That choice became its edge. Enterprise clients quickly recognized that thoughtful, well-supported answers were worth more than instant ones.This inspired me to invite Sid to my podcast. We explore why building for accuracy rather than instant gratification creates differentiation in competitive markets. Sid shares hard-won lessons about segment selection, the hidden cost of trying to serve everyone, and why their first 10 customers taught them more about usage patterns than any growth hack could. You’ll hear how customers measured ROI not in hours logged, but in the depth of impact—renewing and expanding after a single insight shifted key client conversations.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:They acknowledge they cannot please everyoneThey aim to be different, not just betterSid's story is proof that constraints drive innovation—and capital efficiency forces strategic clarity.Here's one of Sid's quotes that captures his approach to capital efficiency:"Capital efficiency for us, being slightly constrained at times, actually helps us in being more innovative. The most innovations, the most disruptive ideas, actually come out of constraints. We don't want to give our team that luxury that, hey, there's enough money on the table that I can go and do a land grab. We need to still solve a few fundamentals."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why accuracy at scale requires patience—not just better promptsWhat happens when you design for outcomes instead of feature parityWhen capital constraints become competitive advantages rather than limitationsWhy your first 10 customers teach you more about segmentation than any persona documentGuest InformationFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Sid Masson, CEO and Co-founder of Wokelo AIWebsite: wokelo.aiEmail: sid@wokelo.ai

This episode is for founders stuck building features nobody asked for—who want to discover what customers actually need.Joshua Summers, CEO of EnFi, took a different path. After helping dozens of startups move their cash during the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, he discovered the real problem wasn't deposits or covenants—it was human capacity to assess risk. While others rushed to capitalize on the crisis, he spent months investigating what actually broke.And this inspired me to invite Joshua to my podcast. We explore how building from crisis reveals opportunities others miss. Joshua shares hard-earned wisdom about why founder-led sales beats hiring early, what happens when you achieve greater-than-human accuracy, and why building a culture where employees jump at the chance to work with you again matters more than your product. You'll discover why taking more capital early can save your company—even if it means more dilution.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Remarkable software companies focus on the essenceRemarkable software companies create something valuable and desirableJoshua's story is proof that the best insights come when you're not trying to sell anything.Here's one of Joshua's quotes that captures his approach to building companies:“Culture itself is an organism. It lives, it breathes, and it is impacted positively or negatively by every single thing around it. You can't design a culture. You can't say here's what our company will feel like, not look like, but feel like as an employee, it's impossible, but you can feed a culture with all the good things that hopefully help it to evolve like an organism."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why building in the open beats perfectionismHow 14 people can operate like a company of 150When discovering the essence changes everythingWhat makes employees want to work with you (again)For more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Joshua Summers, CEO of EnFi Website: www.enfi.ai

This episode is for SaaS founders tired of the "grow at all costs" playbook—who suspect there's power in saying no to the wrong customers.Most SaaS companies don't fail because of bad product. They fail because they try to please everyone. Martin Balaam, CEO of Pimberly, chose restraint over reach. Former physicist turned serial entrepreneur, he'd already scaled and exited Jigsaw24 at 3x returns. At Pimberly, he refuses customers his team can't delight—even when they're ready to sign.And this inspired me to invite Martin to my podcast. We explore how qualifying customers as rigorously as they qualify you creates compound advantages. Martin shares hard-won insights about why he walked away from license-only models, when to choose service depth over customer volume, and what happens when you give your product roadmap to customers instead of VCs. You'll discover why maintaining sub-5% churn matters more than doubling growth rates.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Aim to be different, not just betterFocus on the essenceMartin's story is proof that sustainable SaaS growth comes from doing what others call unscalable.Here's one of Martin's quotes that captures his contrarian philosophy:"I really don't want to lose customers. I know from my life experience how much time and effort, blood, sweat, and tears you have in trying to acquire a customer. We'll openly put our hand up and say I can't see that this is actually gonna add the value—even though they might be happy to sign."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why saying no to willing customers protects your businessWhat "VIP leads" actually means (hint: not big orders)When founder-led sales should naturally transitionWhy physical presence beats remote-first for market entryFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Martin Balaam, CEO & Founder PimberlyWebsite: pimberly.com

A story about winning by not competing—and why saying no creates speedThis episode is for SaaS founders who feel the weight of building something that matters—and wonder if being contrarian is worth the risk.Most software companies fail because they rush to market without questioning what they're building. They see opportunity and chase it.David Villalon, CEO of Maisa, saw the AI gold rush differently. When everyone was building faster, he spent a year building trust into the foundation. He recognized that when you can see the future—truly see it—you carry responsibility for building it right, not just first.And this inspired me to invite David to my podcast. We explore why making AI accountable matters more than making it powerful. David shares hard-won insights about choosing regulated industries first, empowering task-doers instead of technical teams, and why he positions his company to compound value from every AI model maker instead of competing with them. You'll discover why focusing on one customer before ten creates the foundation for horizontal growth.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Aim to be different, not just betterOffer something valuable and desirableDavid's story is proof that vision without responsibility is just opportunism—and real founders feel the weight of building the future right.Here's one of David's quotes that captures his entrepreneurial philosophy:"Whenever you have success, what you're going to hear is everyone saying how good you are. But if you act without that ego, without wanting to become something that you are not, everything looks much better."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:When to compound competitors' value instead of fightingWhat happens when you empower task-doers, not techniciansWhy first principles thinking requires empathy, not just logicWhen everyone wanting your product means stay focusedFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: David Villalon, CEO MaisaWebsite: https://maisa.ai

A story about finding opportunity in the moments everyone else ignores.This episode is for founders questioning whether their personal frustration is worth building a business around.Most SaaS companies don't fail because of bad tech. They fail because they solve problems that don't actually hurt.Ken Rapp, CEO of Blustream, took a different path. When his $2,000 guitar cracked, he didn't blame himself—he questioned why no brand had ever taught him prevention. That question led to a 10-year journey building what didn't exist.And this inspired me to invite Ken to my podcast. We explore how solving your own problem first gives you conviction others lack. Ken shares why he spent years on IoT sensors before realizing the real problem was human connection, not data collection. You'll discover why category creation takes a decade—not because building is hard, but because changing behavior is harder.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – Focus on the essence – Aim to be differentKen's story is proof that unmet needs hide in plain sight—we just learn to live with them.Here's one of Ken's quotes that captures his key insight:"Once your customer is at home, that's the moment where they will be most vulnerable, and that curve of emotional connection to you drops. It's almost like the buyer's remorse is setting in. You're all excited to go home with the product, or to open the product, and right there is when you really need to conquer that new product and make it a habit, and really get what you were hoping and dreaming for out of the product. But there's no connection between you and the company."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why personal problems make the best businessesWhen to pivot from technology to psychologyWhy categories emerge from nerve strikes, not planningWhat 100 customer interviews actually teach youFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Ken Rapp, CEO & Founder of BlustreamWebsite: blustream.io

A story about rejecting the magic wand approach to AI—and building something businesses can actually use.This episode is for Mid-market SaaS founders tired of AI hype who want to build something that creates real customer value—not just impressive demos.Most SaaS companies don't fail because of bad tech. They fail because they chase hype over value.Zohar Bronfman, CEO of Pecan AI, took a different path. After years researching AI and philosophy in academia, he saw Amazon, Uber, and Spotify dominating with predictive AI—while thousands of smaller companies couldn't even get started. Instead of building another "AI for everything" platform, he focused obsessively on one thing: making predictive AI accessible to mid-market companies who couldn't afford data science teams.And this inspired me to invite Zohar to my podcast. We explore why curiosity beats strategy when building in uncertain markets. Zohar shares hard-won insights about deprecating profitable features, why small teams outperform large ones, and how to identify which enterprise capabilities actually matter for mid-market customers. You'll discover why Pecan almost never loses customers—despite operating in the brutally competitive AI space.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Trait #2: Be valuable and desirableTrait #6: Create fans, not just customersZohar's story is proof that sustainable growth comes from solving real problems—not riding waves.Here's one of Zohar's quotes that captures his philosophy:"You can sell things, especially to larger organizations. You can sell things that actually don't have ROI. You can sell things that either look shiny, sound shiny or smell shiny, or all of the above. But ultimately, if you put yourself in a rigorous test, did I make a change? Did I actually add value to the system? The answer could have been no in many cases."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why killing profitable features strengthens retentionWhat happens when you ignore VCs' market adviceWhen customer honesty beats sales promisesWhy hiring slower creates faster growthFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Zohar Bronfman, CEO Pecan AIWebsite: pecan.ai

A story about passing lucrative deals to competitors—and building something users refuse to give upThis episode is for SaaS founders exhausted from chasing every opportunity—and wondering if extreme focus actually works.Most SaaS companies don't fail because of bad tech. They fail because they can't stop building.Ray Meiring, CEO of QorusDocs, discovered this during a meeting with a bank CIO. While trying to find use cases for their generic document tool, Ray realized they had it backwards—they were hunting for problems to fit their solution instead of solving a specific problem.That realization changed everything. Ray narrowed QorusDocs from "any document" to proposals to specific verticals. He even developed a system for passing lucrative but wrong-fit customers directly to competitors.And this inspired me to invite Ray to my podcast. We explore how narrowing from documents to proposals to law firms and engineering firms created users who'd "pry QorusDocs from their cold dead hands." Ray shares why moving 10,000 miles to Seattle transformed their network, how building inside Microsoft Office became their differentiator, and why consistency beats constant pivoting. You'll discover how saying no to features actually accelerated growth.We also zoom in on three of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:Acknowledge you can't please everyoneAim to be different, not just betterFocus on the essenceRay's story shows how narrowing your focus can multiply your impact.Here's one of Ray's quotes that captures his philosophy:"We were trying to be everything to everyone and just build this very generic product. But as we worked with more customers, we started to see a pattern around a very specific set of documents that were challenging—proposal documents."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why the A-B-Z framework beats traditional segmentationWhat happens when you deprecate features instead of adding themWhen proximity to customers trumps remote efficiencyWhy integration beats innovation for enterprise retentionFor more information about the guest from this week:Guest: Ray Meiring, CEO QorusDocsWebsite: qorusdocs.com

A story about turning impatience into competitive advantage.This episode is for SaaS founders tired of building "professional" products nobody remembers—and anyone wondering if controversy beats convention.Most SaaS companies fail because they try to please everyone.They play it safe with every decision.Joao Marques, CEO of Oscar, took a different path.He quit his job, built the app in four months, then raised 70K euros to start acquiring customers. Created an on-demand home services marketplace that sends marketing messages designed to provoke action. Became Portugal's market leader in two years—by deliberately risking cancellation with every campaign.And this inspired me to invite Joao to my podcast. We explore how strategic controversy creates memorable brands faster than perfect products. Joao shares hard truths about focus, growth over features, and why being hated by some customers beats being ignored by all. You'll discover why having your entire company obsess over one metric beats any complex strategy.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – Focus on the essence – Master the art of creating momentumJoao's story is proof that market leadership often starts by doing what makes others uncomfortable.Here's one of Joao's quotes that captures his philosophy:"Just having one goal. My focus, for example, right now, is acquisition and then GMV, so volume in my app. I'm refreshing the dashboard every 10 minutes. Every decision that we make is based on that. Every goal is based on that. Everyone in my team, and we are, like, 50 people, from customer support to senior management, everyone knows GMV on a daily basis.”By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why building features before growth is startup suicideWhat happens when you do the unscalable things competitors avoidWhen being annoying drives better retention than being niceWhy one metric beats ten strategiesFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Joao Marques, CEO OscarWebsite: oscarapp.com

A story about building a cult following in the unglamorous world of aviation maintenanceThis episode is for SaaS founders exhausted from building "nice-to-have" solutions.Most SaaS companies don't fail because of bad tech. They fail because they prefer to solve sexy problems instead of expensive ones.Dinakara Nagalla, CEO of EmpowerMX (acquired by IFS), took a different path. He spent 14 years in aviation watching mechanics waste 50% of their day on paperwork. Instead of building another dashboard for executives, he built tools for the technicians themselves—and turned a cost center into a profit driver with 78% gross margins.And this inspired me to invite Dinakara to my podcast. We explore how solving unglamorous problems creates fanatical customers. Dinakara shares hard truths about why productivity software beats regulatory software, how guaranteeing 10% efficiency shrinks sales cycles by 67%, and why hiring from the industry you serve changes everything. You'll discover why his customers became his sales force—without being asked.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:They create fans, not customersThey sell the idea, not the productDinakara's 14-year journey proves that the most loyal customers come from solving their daily frustrations, not their strategic initiatives.Here's one of Dinakara's quotes that captures his contrarian philosophy:"Being remarkable shouldn't just be a slogan. You should make it as a responsibility. It's what you do when no one is watching. It's a system you build after the pitch is done, and it should be built with the highest level of accountability, with the most trust you can possibly put in. To me, the most remarkable companies don't scale high; they scale trust."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:How his customers became his sales forceWhat happens when you guarantee 10% productivity gainsWhen hiring only from aviation changed everythingWhy reducing organizational stress beats adding featuresFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Dinakara Nagalla, CEO & Founder of EmpowerMX (now part of IFS) Website: https://dinakaranagalla.com/

A story about finding freedom by solving problems others ignored—on purpose.For SaaS founders tired of feature bloat—and wondering if serving fewer people better might be the smarter path to freedom.Most SaaS companies fail because they try to please everyone.They fail because they spread themselves across every platform, every feature request, every shiny opportunity.Samy Dindane, CEO of Hypefury, took a different path.He spotted a gap nobody else cared about—Twitter thread scheduling—and built a prototype in three days. Instead of raising money or hiring fast, he chose freedom through focus.And this inspired me to invite Samy to my podcast. We explore how deliberate constraints create stronger businesses. Samy shares hard-won insights about platform dependence, community-driven development, and knowing when to say no. You'll discover why his users became product owners and how charging more actually made customers happier.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – They acknowledge they can't please everyone – They master the art of curiositySamy's story is proof that sustainable freedom comes from saying no to good opportunities—not just bad ones.Here's one of Samy's quotes that captures his philosophy:"Whatever time you spend on something, you don't spend on something else. So whatever time you're going to try to build something crazy for another platform, it's the time you're not spending improving."By listening to this episode, you'll learn: Why power users matter more than market sizeWhat happens when the platform you depend on demands $500K yearly When adding features becomes a liability Why your best product managers pay you monthlyFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Samy Dindane, CEO HypefuryWebsite: hypefury.comWant to dig deeper into the 10 traits of remarkable SaaS companies? Get my book The Remarkable Effect at valueinspiration.com/book Or sign up for Espresso with Ton at valueinspiration.com/daily - a 2-minute daily email to sharpen your thinking and strategy.

#374 - How Chad Rubin helps Amazon brands escape the pricing race to the bottomA story about moving from being a cost center to becoming the profit engine—by challenging assumptions no one else dared to question.This Episode is for SaaS founders who are tired of customers seeing their solution as just another expense—and those questioning whether there's a smarter way to build something customers actually want to pay more for.Most SaaS companies position themselves as efficiency tools. They help you do things faster, cheaper, better.Chad Rubin, CEO of Profasee, took a different path. After selling his previous inventory management company in 2021, he had a realization: he was always building solutions that lived on the expense side of his customers' businesses. He wanted to be on the revenue side.So he started questioning assumptions in his own struggling Amazon business. Why doesn't anyone change price dynamically? Why do sellers copy pricing from competitors who might be broke?This led him to build Profasee—dynamic pricing software that uses AI to help Amazon brands optimize pricing and ad spend together, creating a flywheel that drives profit growth.And this inspired me to invite Chad to my podcast. We explore how questioning fundamental assumptions creates breakthrough opportunities. Chad shares insights about turning your founder story into sales leverage, the shift from efficiency to effectiveness in SaaS, and why data-driven pricing decisions compound over time. You'll discover how he's building a lean organization while investing heavily in AI and quant teams to create competitive moats.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – They acknowledge they can't please everyone – They sell the idea, not the productChad's story proves that the biggest levers are hiding in plain sight.Here's one of Chad's quotes that captures his contrarian philosophy:"You have to always be a dot, a dot collector. Constantly collecting dots. Most brands are not looking at their whole system. They're not zooming out to understand the process, understand with clear thinking, how you can have some self-awareness and look at, okay, price and PPC, how do these things interconnect?"By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why questioning belief systems creates challenger advantages What happens when you connect isolated business leversWhat happens when you refuse to compete on other people's terms • Why founder stories become leverage in sales conversationsFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Chad Rubin, CEO of ProfaseeWebsite: profasee.com

A story about turning personal frustration into breakthrough technology—and why great products come from pain you actually feel.This Episode is for SaaS founders struggling to identify their real target audience—and wondering how to separate urgent problems from nice-to-have features.Most SaaS companies don't fail because of bad tech. They fail because they try to solve problems they don't actually feel.Davit Baghdasaryan, CEO of Krisp AI, took a different path. Former head of product security at Twilio, he spent evenings in Armenia taking morning calls from San Francisco—dealing with background noise that existing solutions couldn't touch. One personal frustration became the foundation for technology that now processes over a billion minutes monthly and powers 80% of human-to-AI voice interactions.And this inspired me to invite Davit to my podcast. We explore how building from real pain creates unbeatable product-market fit. Davit shares insights about choosing problems with no alternatives, why great demos feel like magic, and how focusing on essence over speed built technology that companies like Discord and Twilio now license. You'll discover why their "marketing experiment" desktop app became Product of the Year—and how they accidentally created infrastructure that now processes over a billion minutes monthly.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies: – They focus on the essence – They offer something valuable and desirableDavit's story proves that breakthrough technology starts with problems that personally bother you.Here's one of Davit's quotes that captures his philosophy on problem selection:"In order to understand the pain, you need to understand the alternative. If you are in an office, the alternative is to go find a quiet room—probably not that painful. But if you're in an airport or call center with people speaking next to you, there is no alternative."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why understanding alternatives reveals true market urgency What separating horizontal from vertical markets actually meansWhen building hard technology first pays off long-termWhy great demos feel magical instead of technicalFor more information about the guest from this week: Guest: Davit Baghdasaryan, CEO of Krisp AI Website: krisp.ai Weekly Voice AI newsletter

A story about preparation beating speed—when you know what's coming.For SaaS founders tired of rushing features to market—and wondering if there's a smarter way to build lasting competitive advantage.Most SaaS companies don't fail because they move too slow. They fail because they chase shortcuts instead of building what customers actually value.Hikari Senju, CEO of Omneky, took a different path. The son of an artist with computer science training from Harvard, he focused on building real customer value while competitors rushed AI tools to market. He spent years perfecting return on ad spend and aesthetic quality that customers actually cared about. When AI quality finally improved in 2024, he was the only one delivering superior outcomes, and his signups grew 4x in one month.And this inspired me to invite Hikari to my podcast. We explore how understanding what customers actually value beats building impressive features. Hikari shares insights about why focusing on outcomes customers pay for eliminates vanity metrics, how "grow slow, grow real" keeps you from blowing it later, and why most founders optimize for what impresses other founders instead of what drives customer results. You'll discover the difference between building systems that work versus building features that sound clever.We also zoom in on two of the 10 traits that define remarkable software companies:They focus on the essenceThey acknowledge they can't please everyoneHikari's story is proof that traction often starts by doing what most others avoid.Here's one of Hikari's quotes that captures his build-real philosophy:"You can hustle and you can fake it till you make it only so far, but it's going to catch up to you. If you want to build a generation-defining company, then you have to focus on the basics. It's usually not just one hack or one thing. It's usually a million small things that you've assembled together in a way that works perfectly as a system and that is hard to replicate by a competitor, because it's built off all these teeny differentiations you've done because you've just thought way more deeply about this problem for a longer period of time."By listening to this episode, you'll learn:Why understanding what customers actually value beats building impressive features What "grow slow, grow real" means for founders chasing quick wins When building complete systems creates unbeatable advantages over feature buildersGuest Info Guest: Hikari Senju, CEO at OmnekyWebsite: https://www.omneky.com/